


Goddess of Mine

by Empress_Lulu



Category: Powerpuff Girls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, F/M, Goddess! Buttercup, Greek Deity/Mortal Lover AU, Mortal! Butch, One Shot, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:15:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26400238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Empress_Lulu/pseuds/Empress_Lulu
Summary: Following a peaceful nature goddess wasn't Butch's first pick, but after a fateful encounter with the Lady of the Earth herself, perhaps he's reconsidering..? // One-Shot fic.
Relationships: Butch & Buttercup Utonium, Butch/Buttercup Utonium
Comments: 3
Kudos: 37





	Goddess of Mine

**Author's Note:**

> This concept has been knocking around in my brain for months now! I'm so glad that I have finally been able to get some inspiration back. All thanks to the lovely Miss Lisathefan, to whom this fic is dedicated to. (I am also using her art with her permission.) Please go check out her works on on Insta and Tumblr! To Lisa: Thank you for your art (and tears), they have thoroughly rejuvenated my writing spirit! I hope you enjoy this piece!

'What was so good about her anyways?'  
  
The young man looked up at the marble statue with a cold sneer. The statue detailed a fairly young, beautiful maiden. Her flowing hair stopped a little below her shoulders. Wavy locks hung in the front accompanied by soft bangs swept across her forehead. She posed a slightly open fighting stance as her right leg stood slightly in front of the other, her posture straight and proud. Her extended arm held a spear facing upward circled by perennial vines, as the same vines traveled up her arm in a similar formation. A wreath of vines and various flowers adorned her head as her [garb](https://www.instagram.com/p/CBtoAAwFE7g/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) was also wrapped similarly by the wandering vines and various flowers. Behind her stood a bear on its four legs with a woodpecker sitting calmly on top of its head. Her two animal companions not only represent how she cares for nature and all of its wildlife, but also reflect her supposed vivacious personality. The goddess can be interpreted as determined and hardworking as the small woodpecker but beware of her dangerous temper and ferocity that lies underneath. 

The young man let a grumble reverberate in his throat as he forced himself to take the typical kneeling position in front of the idol. He hated constantly being called upon for collecting duty. What kind of a goddess even accepts _moss_ and _pine cones_ as offerings?!?

After he felt the High Priestess's blessing touching his shoulders and his head, the young man stood up as he waited for the others to be anointed. As the collectors stood together and looked up towards their goddess, they began to chant their typical 'may the goddess protect us' prayer. This called the young man to roll his eyes as he repeated the same jargon he had heard his entire life, very clearly not amused. 

_Nature takes its course as we humans do.  
_

_Her leaves give us shade and good health,_

_As her trunk provides shelter for all life._

_Her roots connect us all together,_

_And we plant her seeds for all next of kin to see._

_Long Live The Lady of the Earth._

A silent sigh of relief escaped the boy as the prayer finally finished up and they were handed the ceremonial baskets. As a small town surrounded by forest and lush greenery, they had enough resources to both specialize in basket weaving and sacrifices to the goddess. Every basket that was given to a collector was decorated and created in a way so that they would know what they would have to collect. A dark brown woven basket with a square shape with the inside lined by a thin white sheet was used to collect wild nuts of all kinds. Those given a small cream colored basket are tasked to look for mushrooms, any kind is acceptable.

As he waited for his basket, his mind wandered easily. This created more difficulty for the scowl he was trying to hide. He thought about how he was stuck here with a bunch of other people who would rather be literally anywhere else but here. But who was he kidding? What could he even do anyways.

He recalled his friends: Mitch, Mike, Boomer, and Brick. It had been almost months now since he had seen Mitch. The others would soon join him later, trickling one by one by like raindrops falling to the ground. At first it was not that big of a deal but after his disappearance, more and more young men and women from the town began to leave.

They had not been seen since.

This at first heavily concerned the townsfolk, which made them up their sacrifices and offerings to be double of what they typically gave. The Elders and High Priestess were worried about The Lady of the Earth punishing the town by taking away the youth, but their true answer soon arrived to greet them.

What was dwindling the town's population was neither punishment nor curse, but came in the form of a Satyr wandering into town in the middle of the night. The odd thing about him though, was that only the younger generation could really see him. Some of the younger women were alarmed by his presence and tried to go wake up their parents and the elders. As they made their best attempt to wake up as many adults as possible, they would not even stir. They lied perfectly still, but still breathed. They remained unbothered by the shakes and the cries of those who tried to bring them back to the world of the living. 

Nothing helped. They were not dead, but they could not wake up for the time being.  
  
When the Satyr began walking through the streets, most of them went to hide themselves inside of their homes. The young man gave into peer pressure as he saw the rest of his friends go inside, and made quick work to scurry inside. As he closed the door and ducked his head, something unexpected occurred. The Satyr began to sing and laugh through their road, telling them all about what had happened to their missing friends and family. Because they had never seen a creature as odd and as striking as him, they originally hid away in fear of being eaten or killed. The assumptions they made about him quickly dissipated, as his news of festivities and joy was contradicting that.

_No responsibilities. All the pleasures of the flesh and beyond. A place where your youth can be preserved until the end of time._

The lyrics of his tunes were in a language that could not be understood by man, but they still reached to out to you deep inside. His enchantments felt like a refreshing dip in the lake after a long day. His hums felt like the quiet comfort of the moonlight painting your skin in its glow. His melodies felt like the warmth of a fire's afterglow. The more people listened, the more they were enraptured by the message. Could they truly be promised immortal youth, pleasure beyond your wildest dreams, and the weight of the world removed from your back _without_ any consequences? 

"Butch?"

A feminine voice removed him from those memories. In front of him stood the High Priestess, Sara Bellum. Her gorgeous red curls accentuated her beauty, but comically hid her face. Her religious wear in the colors of nature and life: greens, browns, and whites, hugged and hid her body underneath.

When the young man looked around his surroundings, he realized that he stood alone in the church with her. As he turned to face the large open doorway, he saw a glimpse of the rest of the collectors holding their baskets and leaving towards the forest entrance. Feeling his basket in his own hand, he looked down at it and tried not to visibly grimace in front of the High Priestess. It was a caramel colored basket in a circular shape with green vines intertwined throughout the casket and the handle.

Lotus Flowers.

"Butch? Are you alright? I already dismissed you all a while back now. You should hurry before sunset, we don't want to-"

"Yeah, yeah I know. We don't want to upset the Lady." He casually threw the basket over his shoulder as he began to walk towards the doorway.

"Ahem."

When Butch turned his head back, he found High Priestess Bellum crossing her arms and probably giving him a knowing look underneath her hair.

"And?"

He sighs as he brings the basket once again towards his front side. "And we don't want to be caught by the Satyr and go missing."

She nods her head knowingly, Butch almost feeling her kind smile despite the distance. "Now please, do be careful. And remember to not cross the river."

He rolls his eyes and nods. Her stance only got more stern.

He then faked a smile and nodded his head. She nodded back in approval. 

"Alright then Butch, remember to pick them carefully. We have to make sure that the tea is at a good enough potency for the Lady-"  
  
"Yes, yes, I know. I will be _extra_ careful with the delicate little things. Thank you, High Priestess Bellum." 

With that, Butch walked out of the temple and eventually out of the small town into the forest. The flowers didn't really matter to him, he was going to get out _tonight_.

* * *

Butch walked further into the forest, noticing its change from a clear and thin opening to a thick and lush greenery. The shade grew darker with only streams of sunlight peeking through the brush above, giving the forest an almost magical allure. A small rumor in town used to scare the children was that this forest commonly attracted the fae and other creatures, so they must be careful to not wander so far away unless they should be taken. Butch, however never believed the tales. The supposed fear that was supposed to fill a child's heart when they saw the forest was never felt within his own. His only feelings of the forest could be described as the opposite. Relaxed. Safe. Fulfilling.

The young boy would climb up the trees and play with the fallen branches. If he ever got hungry, he would eat the delicious wild berries that hid in the bushes and spend almost till nightfall in the forest. Comfort stirred deep inside whenever he took a walk. Having wandered through these woods so much as a child, he practically knew this place like the back of his hand.

Due to his familiarity of the area, Butch was actually the one who was frequently sought after whenever someone went missing. They could never find them in the end, but after the Satyr's first encounter, he had a better idea of where everyone was.

Mike was the next one to go. He was seen last with his simple clothes and a small leather pack carrying some fruits and a knife to protect himself with. When they sent out the search party the next morning, Butch knew to expect no sign on the boy, until he was caught off guard by a gleam of the sunlight. There, hiding in an old hollowed out log was Mike's knife. When Butch went to go retrieve it, he did not feel worry or concern. Instead he felt a calm wave wash over him. He knew that Mike was alright and that he had made it to the best eternal party of his damn life. Knowing that this could spell trouble for the rest of them, but also wanting to selfishly keep this secret to himself, he pocketed the knife and returned to the rest of the group. 

Later that night as the elders slept once again, he called out to his remaining friends in town. Brick and Boomer were there to support him while he shared the news with the rest of the youth. They were all circled around the large campfire for the night and clearly interested in what he had to share. As he showed Mike's knife to them and even let the others hold it, this calmed the more tense and anxious of the group. Their faces of unease twisted to almost an unnatural sense of tranquility within them. The knife's gleam in the moonlight gave almost a mystical allure of its own. Skeptics and others who were fearful retreated to the safety of their homes, not wanting anymore to do with the possibility of any dangerous party creatures of the sort. Butch and the others stayed behind in the meantime, contemplating and imagining what their missing friends could be up to.

"Man, all kinds of fun and excitement with no work to do?!? AND you get to stay young forever?!? That sounds like a sweet deal if you ask me."

"Yeah but we haven't even them come back or send a message or anything. Guess whatever they're doing right now must be that good huh?"

"Oh definitely." Butch saw Boomer call out to the group. "The weird furry legged dude said, 'pleasures of the flesh and beyond.'" He said with air quotations and an exaggerated voice. "Does that mean he could get us stuff from the g-o-d-s?"

It was an unspoken rule to not talk about the deities so blatantly so that they don't eavesdrop on you. But here Boomer was, blabbing his mouth off.

"You know we live in this shit hole yeah? Imagine us, living like the big folks up there. We wouldn't have to collect anymore dumb sticks and sissy flowers, and we would have pretty people flocking around us all the time!"

He won't lie, Butch was used to tuning out Boomer's ranting as it typically earned a slap on the head from Brick later. But the stuff he was saying actually sounded more appealing now that they were being spoken in layman's terms. Not only did he not have to do collecting duty ever again in his life, but he would have his own group of worshipers and lover. The young man would never have to lift a finger ever again if he was fed and pampered like a king. A sly smirk grew on his already mischievous face as he slowly raised his hand, waiting for the others to notice him. 

"Woah...Butch never waits for anyone like that.." A whisper of shock from within the remain group that circled around the fire.

Silenced passed between the youth as they all quieted down. Boomer even stopped mid-rant after a little "assistance" from Brick's slap.

"Well kiddos, listen up." His forest irises traveled among the group as he lowered his hand and continued.

"Mitch and Mike seem to be doing just peachy. They haven't contacted us or even gave second thoughts about coming back. Mikey did however leave that knife in the forest, and it was on purpose."

As the knife circled back to him, he raised it high in the air, the moonlight's glow intensifying the gleam and beauty of the tool. 

"When I found it hiding in that log, I made sure to check the area surrounding it as well. There was no sign of struggle anywhere, and it was in a place where he couldn't have just dropped it. He left it there on _purpose_ , to let us know that he made it out, and that he _succeeded_. He's in paradise boys."

Uproar started from the group as various of emotions were thrown around: excitement, fear, doubt, and glee. Truth was that they actually had no idea what happened to Mike, but his knife left peacefully underneath the log was enough evidence for them to follow.

The following months as Butch slowly saw the seasons change from an early Spring with frequent drizzles to a hot Summer with long days. Groups began to gather more in the night, trying to plan their escape in the shadows or even during collecting. One of their first procedures that they would decide is that they would at least leave the basket completed near the tree where they found Mike's knife all those months ago, so that the others would know they did it. Eventually, some of the younger kids who were afraid while some others who just wanted to get in good with the Elders snitched on the group about the Satyr. They did not mention the nightly meetings, because they knew that due to the remaining magic, the adults of the town wouldn't even be able to wake up.

Brick's basket was found on a foggy day filled to the brim with rose petals used for Rose Tea. Tied around the basket's handle was his infamous red ribbon he used to tie up his long, fire red hair whenever it would get caught in the way of the branches. His disappearance in particular began to cause a greater stir, as Brick was being considered as a chosen candidate to be wed to one of the Elder's granddaughters. It _was_ a prestigious and sought after position, but it was made clear to the adults what the youth sought after more. A couple of more people went missing after Brick, and their baskets were being left behind further and further away from the original tree, and closer to the river line instead.

A basket lulled softly on top of the small waves on the riverbed, some of the blueberries already being carried away by the water. Boomer's basket found in such place gave them a better insight of their path of where they needed to go. After more and more baskets were found by the river, this only gave them the confirmation they needed. No one in town had ever tried to cross the river, despite the distance not being so grand. It was probably because of the bear and wolf sightings seen by many generations. That, and there was no true reason to cross. The next town over was closer to the clearing of the town, and as far as they knew, there was no other civilization that deep in the forest besides them.

The adults did everything they could: setting up a curfew, requesting for volunteers to circle the premises, and even timing the collectors became a common occurrence. However, it did not matter. Collectors were specifically chosen as they know the forest better than most of the regular townsfolk, and search parties could only be confidently done in large groups during broad daylight. Most of the collectors were young men and women anyways and were in on the plot as well. Should they almost get caught escaping, they would know where to hide in the dark crevices and the shadowed under brushes. Before they knew it, the townspeople saw their population decreasing exponentially. Their efforts were futile as more and more of their youth fell under the spell of the Satyr.

As Butch continued to walk through the thick forest, his eyes laid upon a familiar hollowed log. He was getting closer now, tasting the freedom on the tip of his tongue.

Soft rushing water informed his senses that he was getting closer now. His pace quickened in excitement and almost child-like glee. His body yearned for the promises the Satyr gave and the ideas that Boomer placed into his mind. A carefree eternity of the finest things life had to offer for both man and god alike. Rapture swirled chaotically within him as he longed more and more for that feeling.

Suddenly, he felt he discord twisting within him began to soothe, as he hid behind a bush to scope the area out. The more he perceived, the more a familiar feeling of solace and excitement filled his heart to the brim. Finally, his eyes laid upon a figure, an unfamiliar woman who seemed to be the source of his slight attitude change. The young man watched from the bushes in amazement, surprised to see another figure out here, and shocked that he hadn't noticed her sooner.

Although he could only catch glimpses of her backside, her aura radiated beauty and power. Her wavy black hair contrasted perfectly against her white dress, the sunlight perfectly peeking out from the treetops and made her look more illustrious than she already was. Various small flower buds including some that he could not recognize littered her wavy locks and blew in the breeze in perfect synchronization. His eyes fell briefly from her figure and noticed something else odd about her. The grass nearby seemed greener as the water glittered beside her. Fauna of all kind from rabbit in their holes, squirrels in the burrows of the trees, birds perched upon branches seemed to be calm in her presence. With observing all of this, he analyzed he must proceed with caution in fear of her being a powerful sorceress. Even so, he could not help himself from admiring the beauty he has seen so far, nor the serenity she seemed to give off as well. 

Without warning, the mysterious woman who was looking upstream the river slowly turned her head to face where the bushes were. Bright green eyes, the color of green lightning bugs in warm summer nights peaked from underneath soft side swept bangs as she observed the area, looking for something. They peered sharply into their surroundings, the young man astounded at how a woman could simultaneously have the eyes of a prey and a predator.

"Who's there? Show yourself and I'll make this easier for you."

Knowing the jig was up, the young man's figure stood proudly against the small bushes before him. His arms were raised with his basket being tightly held in his left hand, slowly approaching the young woman at the riverbed. When approaching, he noticed how his height almost towered over the young woman as she turned to face him. She on the other hand, paid no mind to this as her stance and gaze did not waver. Butch still being somewhat wary of her, kept his distance at a good six feet from her. Close enough so that they would see each other clearly, but far enough for him to make a run for it should something happen. She seemed to appreciate his cooperation and distance as well, taking note of her body language still being somewhat tense.

Now that he was a lot closer than he anticipated, he swallowed his breath nervously and began to speak.

"Hey. I'm not here to make any trouble. I come from the village nearby to collect Lotus flowers from a couple of Lily Pads." He nodded his head in reference to the basket in his hand. 

That statement alone did not seem to fully calm her down, but she didn't look like she was going to eat him anymore.

"I didn't catch your name, boy." Her irises sneered at his own dark pools.

"Well, that's because I didn't throw it, mysterious lady." A smirk and a soft chuckle escaped him, hoping to lighten the mood.

A sneer met him back.

 _'Well that didn't really work out,'_ He thought to himself.

The young man sighed as he began to weigh his options out. He knew he already had an encounter with the supernatural recently, and that in general, it isn't a great idea to introduce yourself so casually to them. Despite her possibly being a sorceress, all she's really done is call him out and glare at him. If she really had so much power, he probably would have been a goner by now for just breathing in her general direction.

That and Butch still can't get over how both gorgeous and terrifying the young woman in front of him is.

His eyes quickly darted across the river and the glistening water. If he could somehow distract her long enough, he could cross the river and be home free. He isn't exactly sure how magic works entirely, but he had to bet on whatever the Satyr was doing to them after he crossed the river could protect him from whatever she had in her arsenal.

With another sigh, he slowly leaned down to place his basket calmly in front of him. Both of his arms now properly raised and free, he spoke once again.

"Butch. My name is Butch and I'm a collector from the village nearby. We worship the nature goddess, the Lady of the Earth, and I was assigned to get Lily Pad flowers to make tea for her as an offering."

For whatever reason, that actually seemed to work, and her body language adjusted from on edge to alert.

_'I mean, if I was alone in the woods and some random person was watching me, I would act the same.'_

"Buttercup." She said with some hesitance in her voice. "I came here to investigate some of the missing people from a town that lives on the edge of the woods." 

He raised his eyebrow at the news. Gossip spread around cities was pretty rare. However, since their case had been happening for two seasons now and were overall mysterious in nature, it makes sense that someone from outside came to snoop and see what was happening.

"Really?" He continued, "I guess they have been happening for a while, so those rumors started to spread around towns. What exactly have you heard anyways?"

A small smirk quickly graced and left her face. She raised one of her own eyebrows and crossed her arms in front of her. 

"Enlighten me, since you seem to have a better idea on what's going." She called out to him amused.

Following her lead, Butch calmly lowered his hands at his side and tsked at her, waggling his finger and winking at her. "This will be a fair exchange, Buttercup. You let me know what you know, and I'll fill in the remaining details."

Her eyes rolled at his shoddy attempt at possible flirting but decided to entertain him.

"Well, I know that there have been a lot of young people missing from your town." Buttercup moved from her stance and began to pace around her surroundings. She approached a stack of mossy rocks and carefully dragged her forefinger and thumb against it. Rubbing the two against each other, she placed them close to her nostrils and sniffed, scowling at the smell.

"I assume you're from there because the town you say you're from and the town I heard in the rumors have the same general description. The rumors brought up suspicion of foul play or human sacrifices, so I came to see what was really going on." She stood up from her crouching position and passed the young man who remained generally still. She did however notice his figure and the basket approaching the river more and more when he thought she was not looking.

Standing in front of a tree and investigating the bark, the young woman could still hear the quiet footsteps and slight breath of the young man behind her. The sound of the river's water flowing would have made it difficult for her to notice if she were anyone else. Her hand calmly grazed the bark as Butch stood a couple of feet away from her, feeling the calm waves of the river tickle at his feet. He could not help feeling calm when she got closer, which only really made him more nervous.

"Tell me, Butch." His posture straightened up on his own at the sound of her voice. "What do you know about the Satyr who visited your town?"

His eyes widened in shock as his body contemplated freezing in place or jumping across the river. "I- uh.." He gulped and tried his best to regain his composure.

"I guess he eventually was mentioned somewhere in the rumors too." Butch smirked and tried to ease the tension back with some confidence. "I bet you're interested in what he had to say, huh?"

A smirk graced her lips as she turned to face him again. "I guess you could say that, yes."

Her footsteps calmly lead her in front of him, her arms crossed once again with a bemused smile on her face. "Go on then, I'm waiting."

It took him everything in his power to not turn as red as an apple and to keep himself breathing. Sure, she was a beauty from afar but up close?

She was completely stunning.

Butch stepped back a bit to give the two of them some more distance, the water now covering his feet. "Alright miss Buttercup, I'll tell you everything I know."

He proceeded to tell her about the Satyr's first visit during late winter with the songs and promises he made to the village. Her expression changed from that confident smile to a stoic face as she paid close attention to what he was saying. He also mentioned how his magic had remained, but none of his friends who had disappeared earlier seemed to be in such extreme trouble.

"He did promise them that they would be hot forever and partying every day, so I wouldn't really blame them. In fact, I actually planned on leaving today myself."

Her eyes widened as his confession, but he kept going as his were towards the horizon across the river.

"It took a while to figure out exactly what was going on, but all trails have led to there." His arm outstretched from his side and pointed to where his eyes were. "There was no sign of struggle anywhere or remains, which means that everything he had promised has got to be true." He propped his arm back at his hip and continued watching the breeze dance with the trees across the river.

"If I'm going to be completely honest with you Buttercup, most of my friends have already crossed and made it. I don't really have anything else to do or care about in that boring village. After I find some lily pad flowers, I'll fill my basket to the brim with em' and then I'll cross. Even if something does happen to me and I don't like it, they can have peace of mind thinking I'm okay and their offering for the Lady too."

As he turned his head back down to meet her, Buttercup's expression of both prey and predator returned to her face as she looked up at him with disdain.

_'Crap, I messed up big time.'_

Despite her height, Butch still couldn't help but feel intimidated from her presence. He didn't want her to think he was a coward with no balls though, so he cleared his throat and returned her strong gaze with his own.

"What? You don't like what I have to say about it, Butter _baby?"_

Her eyes widened in shock at his taunt. Butch felt both elated that he actually pulled through with it because it was pretty funny, and terrified on what would happen next. 

A laugh erupting from her followed up by a punch to his arm was his answer. Butch looked down and rubbed at where she hit him, surprised at how that actually hurt. Looking back up at the young woman who was still mischievously and cheerfully laughing, he noticed her toned arms and alluring smile. His forest eyes softened at her appearance and began to laugh alongside her, feeling his heart swell up inside.

Buttercup finally caught her breath and met his eyes once again. "Whew I- No one has ever talked back to me like that! I don't know if I should-" She caught herself and cleared her throat, quickly changing the topic but not before snorting a bit underneath her breath.

"You know, what you spoke there was technically treason, but I'll give you a pass since you really seem to have no idea what's going on, _Butchie._ "

His ears grew red at the silly nickname she assigned him, nodding his head in response but not having actually paid close attention to anything else she had said.

Bright sun kissed leaves of the canopy crossed with the dark shadows of the under story as spoke once again with a serious tone in her voice. 

"The Satyr might have promised you all great things, but fae are tricksters. They whisper vague promises into your heart, and you don't really know what damage they could do to you until it's done." The young man only slightly turned his head in confusion, not really understanding at where she was getting at.

"Okay...so they could possibly be in hot water right now, but how bad could it be? He would have had to stay within his promise to us-"

"Your friends are not human anymore." Her voice called to interrupt his as his eyes widened in shock.

"Excuse me?" He gave her a look of bewilderment.

"You heard me clearly Butch, I don't need to repeat myself." Her eyes rolled at his reaction and continued to explain. "You said that he specifically promised freedom from responsibility, eternal youth, and pleasures 'beyond your wildest imagination,'" She made that last point in a mocking tone as her fingers counted off the details. He only nodded his head in returned and continued listening.

"As I explained earlier, fae deals are tricky on purpose because they want you to accept under any circumstances. They don't really care about the consequences after because everything is a game to them, it's all about having fun." She sighed and placed her hands at her hips, leaning on her right side, "You're lucky that I even know what happened to your friends. If we had been dealing with any other kind of fae, it would have taken me a bit longer to figure out what he did."

Buttercup's feet began moving themselves back to the stack of mossy rocks she investigated earlier and Butch trailed behind her. Her figure stopped suddenly, which caught Butch off guard and made him bump slightly into her. With a small apology underneath his breath, he stepped a bit back but stayed relatively close to her. The young woman on the other hand tried to focus on what she wanted to say next, as his towering figure, calm breath, and pleasantly earthy smell provided a great distraction to her. Clearing her throat which caused them both to leave their stupor, she gestured her hand to the rock formation.

"Do you see this here? This hasn't regularly been made through nature. This is a Cairn made by the Satyr himself as a part of the spell. It's placed here so that when his victims are close, they will get a temptation inside that will make them want to cross the river. There's even one on the other side."

When she extends her arm out towards the other side, it's then Butch remembers how close he is as the smell of fresh dew and blooming flowers hit his nose.

"The Cairn on the other side most likely acts as both a magnet for the victim so that they don't go up stream or downstream instead, and as a security net so as soon as you land on the other side, the spell takes affect and you can't go back."

"Alright alright, you keep telling me about this spell and how they're not human anymore, so what did the weird goat man do? Turn them into trees?"

She gave him an exasperated look and sighed, "No. If he had turned them into trees, that wouldn't be fulfilling the promise he made. Also, he isn't a goat. Satyrs typically have donkey or horse legs, but they're not the same as Centaurs. Centaurs are actually kind people, but usually keep to themselves."

Noticing that she had lost him, she turns back to him and sighed, "I'm sorry to say this but I'm not at the same time since they did sign up for this, but your friends were turned into fae."

A blank expression followed by his eyes blinking in disbelief was the only telling that he was still alive alongside the slow rise and fall of his chest. Butch became statuesque as he processed the information she happened to dump on him. More emotions began to swirl in his eyes from anger to confusion to concern to relief.

"Buttercup. If you're really not pulling my leg here and lying to me, could you maybe explain a bit better by them turning to fae?"

His slight discomfort was obvious as it seeped into the surrounding area. Not wanting to scare him or get him to react negatively, she slowly nodded her head and kept her eyes locked on his.

"It's all in the promise. First, when he promised no responsibility, he meant specifically _human_ responsibility. This includes not only all the hardships that humanity has to endure, but the responsibility that is being human itself. This means one of the very first things that occur within the spell is the casting off of humanity. The next was pleasures beyond humanity and eternal youth. Only other creatures besides humanity could enjoy these two perks because they are _beyond_ humanity." 

She searched within his eyes to make sure he was still leveling with her. He nodded his head in affirmation and continued.

"Satyrs in particular have a lot of magic power depending on how many deals they have made in their lifetimes. The one that visited your town seemed to be one of the slyer ones because he could promise that kind of power. However, it looks like it has gotten worse because a good portion of your town's young population have already crossed the river."

Butch pondered on the feeling of elation he felt before coming across Buttercup. It wasn't the same way he felt with her now, it was chaotic and distorted. The serenity that was welcomed into his heart reminded him of his days in the forest as a boy looking up at the starry sky. What he had felt beforehand felt hungry, ravenous, and almost desperate. In fact, he was almost a little too excited to cross the river and not follow the plan like he should have.

"Wait a minute..." Out of his head, Butch suddenly grabbed at Buttercup's right hand and clasped at it with his two hands. "Buttercup. Who are _you_ exactly?" 

She blinked in surprise and slightly jumped back at his sudden movement. Her eyes sneered at him in both confusion and slight...amusement?

"Butch what the hell are you talking about? We only just met and now you think you can so boldly grab my hand?"

Her left arm reached out at his wrist and twisted it, causing a yelp of pain from him while her arm was freed.

The young man groaned as he rubbed his wrist in pain, shocked once again at her unusual strength but said nothing of it. "Yeah yeah. I'm sorry that wasn't cool and you're right. But hear me out."

Buttercup gave him a skeptical look as she raised her eyebrow but gestured with her arm for him to go on.

"You knew a lot about the fae in general, which is pretty new, but especially a lot about this Satyr...." His eyes wandered everywhere to the nature surrounding them, daring to not cross with her own passionate orbs. His posture became more alert, now trying to direct himself away from the riverbed and the mysterious young woman in front of him. The more he tried to think of leaving the area though, the more he could feel the discord of the Satyr's spell swirling within his heart and trying to lure him back.

"The more that I think about it, there was no way the Satyr could have been a part of the rumors. The rest of the town only recently found out about him and no one has gone to do trade in weeks. Yet you already knew because of his-" His hands referred to the rock cairn once again. "That thing I guess."

"That and his smell." Her nose wrinkled in retaliation. "It smells like wet donkey and a drunk. It's worse on the other side of the river through."

"You see?? I can't even SMELL whatever you're sniffing, and I've practically lived in these woods my entire life. I would be the first one to know if there was a donkey OR alcohol out here." His eyes widened quickly as he smelled his hands.

She rolled her eyes at his notion. "If you think I'm drunk or have done drugs, I can assure that I'm completely sober and aware of everything going on."

He peered his eyes at her and pointed his finger, "Look. You might be sober, but that doesn't change the fact that you're still super sus." His eyes never left her frame as he carefully walked back in front of her in a confronting manner. "Something else. You said that the spell of the rock things are supposed to lure and trap people to get them to cross the river. So why am I still standing here and I'm completely fine?"

During this exchange between them, Buttercup was looking down at the forest floor with complete boredom in her face. Her piercing gaze bore into his irises as Butch felt a chill going down his spine.

"Don't play the part of the Jester, Butch. You and I both know the more you kept looking at the tree line, you kept feeling his spell trying to take control of you again. In fact, I bet that's why you had to come stand so close to me. I'm glad to see some sense of your humanity is still in tact."

"H-Huh..?"

"Listen Butch. You're bright, but you don't seem too bright. So, I'll do you a favor finish up the story for you."

Slender fingers brushed against his soft obsidian locks that slightly peaked up towards the sky and defied gravity. Red ears and a choked-up reaction was all that greeted her and the young woman smiled mischievously at him.

"No, I'm not a witch or a sorceress and I won't hurt you. Even though I should for being so cocky around me." She sighed and stopped petting him. He retroactively let out a small whine of disappointment which only caused his blush to deepen.

"Just as you were explaining, you were right. It isn't normal that I know what happened to your friends or about that Satyr that tricked you all. It is true a Satyr can have enough power to change humans but transforming them into a fae requires a lot of magic power. That is where I get involved." Her face dropped in remorse as she sighed, looking out behind him.

"The Satyr used to be my assistant until I fired him for his incompetence and party loving attitude. There's nothing wrong with having a good time, but he wouldn't do his job correctly, if at all. I assume with the remaining power boost I gave him; he's trying to appease me so that I could rehire him. Being my assistant did grant him a lot of perks and celebrity status among the nymphs after all."

Alarmingly loud bell tolls went off in his head, _'What kind of person-thing-whatever just has a magical creature as your personal assistant?!?'_

A soft chuckle escaped her lips as her eyes seemed to give off a more predatory gaze underneath her soft eyelids. "I lay it all out for you and you still don't get it huh? That's fine, I guess you're more into show than tell. Now, close your eyes."

Everything those words made him feel now was anything but right. At this point understanding that he had nothing to lose, he willingly obeyed and closed his eyes.

Suddenly, a strong breeze blew out of nowhere and the smell of pollen and flower nectar his him like a wild bull. A small sneeze escaped him, but he kept his eyes shut and stayed still.

"It's alright now, you can look Butch."

His heart was embarrassingly hammering hard against his chest. What would he be looking at face to face when he opened his eyes? If she wasn't a witch, a sorceress, or a fae, his mind wandered to his last option: 

a _Monster_.

He gulped, fearing that he would be either frozen into stone or eaten alive if he opened his eyes.

However, when he finally opened his eyes, what he saw caught his breath in his throat.

There was a radiance to her that wasn't there before. The flower buds strewn around her onyx locks had bloomed into gorgeous flowers of different kinds of variety, color and sizes alike. A wreath of vines and flowers perched on her head emphasized the sharpness of her face Miscellaneous vines covered her body and dress from head to toe, but the most discernible one was wrapped perfectly around her right hand and up her arm. 

Instantaneously, Butch had forgotten what breathing and thinking was. The two things that assured him that he was real and alive everyday had become foreign to him all at once in that moment. What stood before him was not mortal nor monster but something that succeeded and greatly surpassed both. Images of her marble statue in the temple flashed in his mind. The sculptor who created the decoy then could not even fathom the true beauty and power her aura dispersed into the atmosphere. 

With his knees weak beneath him, his mortal body gave into the one command that it was yelling into his mind:

 _Kneel_.

Desperately, his eyes devoured her visage and figure, trying to comprehend if what he was seeing was actually real. He didn't imagine that he would ever come face to face with _the_ Lady. The idiot even _sassed_ her off and _grabbed_ her.

"I-..Buttercup- I mean.. My Lady I-" The young man's face was flushed and he was choked up bad. The goddess in front of him only smirked.

"What is it? Where's that sharp tongue run off to? You had no issue with calling me Butterbaby or giving such a shitty prayer in the temple before you left."

His eyes widened and his body moved to stand, but realized it probably wasn't best to test her. He instead adjusted himself to being on one knee and looking up at her.

"You heard that Bu-....My Lady?"

She rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Of course I did. I don't really have a lot of devout followers like your town, so I'm not flooded with prayers like other gods. Even if I was, I would still take time to listen to them."

The goddess slightly crouched to meet his quivering eyes but kept her distance. Her tone garnered fear and excitement within his heart as she whispered to him,

_"It helps weed out the snot nosed brats that I should turn into toads."_

Her bright green irises gave off such a dark tone as she sneered at him with that mischievous and cocky smile of hers that Butch felt shivers going down his spine. 

He eventually blinked out of his stupor and realized what she said. Gulping harshly in response, he could feel himself sweating with unease even more. "I- wait.. you want to turn me into a toad?!?"

"Or maybe a tree frog." She retorted quickly with a sharp look and a wicked grin.

Slowly, she began to approach his kneeling figure with her long strides giving Butch a great view of her toned legs. He then felt her hand grasp harshly at his cheeks to turn his face to make eye contact with her. "Maybe a turtle or a slippery tree snake so that you can stay slithering in this forest for the rest of your life, hmm?"

"WAIT! But I wouldn't even be a cute animal or a plant! Can't you leave me as a human instead?" He knew his whining wouldn't get him anywhere, but he couldn't just sit there and let her turn him into something ugly..right?

Buttercup, the Lady of the Earth sighed, rolling her eyes at his reaction. "Aww come on Butchie. You're not interested in being a cute little thing bound to be gobbled up by the food chain?"

Heat flushed all around his body. Butch doesn't think he's ever felt to terrified and excited at the same time.

"I- well... before you turn me, I want to ask you of one more request." His eyes landed on his abandoned basket being softly pushed by the river's waves. "Two, actually."

The goddess before him let go of his face and raised her eyebrow. "What other unfinished business could you have? You openly admitted to me that you were going to cross the river tonight and had nothing else to lose."

"That's just it Buttercup. I don't have anything else to lose, but I need to least ask you this before... you know.."

"Two minutes." She gestured with her finger. "Go."

Butch blinked in surprise but didn't give another moment to waste. "My first request is to know what really happened to my friends. You said they became fae because of the Satyr and the left-over power he has from you, but when you mean fae, do you mean like a small pixie?? Or..?" 

She chuckled and nodded her head. "That's actually a valid question, I don't blame you. Fine, I guess I will give you the answer you seek."

"You see, the Satyr involved them as a part of his shitty little plan to regain my favor. He turned them into nature fae. Nymphs, Fauns, Tritons, you name it. They still get to have everything within the deal: eternal youth, access to the gods resources, freedom from human responsibility, and now they can attend some of the best parties known to.... not mortals. However, as they are now a part of nature, they have their jobs in protecting what they have been assigned to. Which means they all answer to me. As their goddess and eternal boss." She says that last bit with a confident smile on her face.

Butch nods his head in understanding. A small sigh of relief left him knowing that although some of his friends might be pissed, they're okay. His eyes direct him towards the basket calmly lulling from the water and he begins to slowly stand. He walks over it to and picks it up in his hands.

"I know it won't be viable to let the others know directly that I'll be fine. But..our rule is we leave behind our basket in full so that they know we made it. So, for my last request, I would like to ask for your help in collecting Lily Pad Flowers..for you."

Buttercup only blinked back in surprise and tried to hide an oncoming blush forming on her cheeks. Butch, despite the distance between, them swears internally that some of the flowers in her hair and crown must have bloomed brighter and larger.

She sighs and clears her throat. Doing her best to compose herself, she nods her head, walking over to where he was standing. As the water hit Buttercup's feet, Butch was already knee deep in the water, keeping his eye out for any green pads or bright colored flowers. In the meantime, Buttercup also got closer into the water and began to search, feeling the cold of the water sending a shiver up her spine. Butch during his examination of the waters made a mental note to stay weary of getting too close to the other side of the river. Buttercup helped him reassure this notion by glaring daggers into his back and making a quick "You can't escape since you've already been caught by the best Huntress" comment.

The two searched for a good five minutes and could not find anything calmly floating about in the water.

"They must not be in season yet. I guess I was sent on a wild goose chase before I left. On. Purpose." He groaned as his eyes rolled to the back of his head and splashed at water frustratingly.

Taking advantage of his back being turned to her, the nature goddess calmly waved her hand near the shallow waters of the nearshore. Beautiful flowers of all kinds of colors floated calmly connected to their green, flat pads of various sizes.

"Oh, I think I see some over there! Come on, let's go." Buttercup grabbed Butch his forearm and began to pull him to where she was pointing. This caught him off guard and he almost fell into the water without the proper footing. He quickly caught onto her pace and the two were now right in front of the hydrophytes.

"Huh. I guess I didn't check this area well enough. Okay then..." Butch approached the flowers closely and examined its underwater stem. Carefully and delicately, he bent the stem and tore off the flower, using this method to pluck the rest of the lily pad flowers. He placed them softly in the basket, which was currently hanging from his forearm. This went on for a while, as every time he was focusing on one flower, the nature goddess allowed another to bloom somewhere else. Finally, just as he had promised, his basket was filled to the brim with lotus flowers of almost every color. He first tried to organize them by color, but recognized it was simpler to stack them from largest at the bottom to the smallest at the top. 

The pair walked back to the lush grass and dirt of the forest, a full basket of flowers in hand. The young man looked around for a good spot and placed the basket near the bushes from where he first saw Buttercup.

"One last thing-" He called out and approached the woman, a bright large yellow lotus in his hands. "Can I?"

She gave him a questioning look but didn't object to his behavior and only nodded her head. He calmly reached into her wreath and placed the yellow lotus near her left ear, not before brushing some hair out of the way and making sure the flower was well adjusted into the crown. When he looked back to admire his work, he couldn't help but notice the soft pink tint on her cheeks and smiled a bit.

Butch took a couple of steps back and opens his arms before dropping them back down to his sides. "Alright, great and powerful nature goddess, I'm ready to become an ugly toad. My last real final request is: not too many warts and set me up with a nice home before you go, okay?"

Buttercup couldn't help but snort at his comment and raised her arms out in front of her. "Yeah yeah, just close your eyes bug breath. It will be less embarrassing for you when it's over and done with."

He playfully rolled his eyes until he finally closed them and outstretched his arms. Laughing to himself internally, he couldn't believe that even now in the final moments of his handsome humanity he was putting up a front to impress a pretty girl. Even if that pretty girl happens to be the goddess that will turn you in a toad.

Smelling the fear off of him even now, the young goddess mischievously tiptoed until she was in front of him again. Despite his internal freak out thinking that he would be turned into a toad any second now, she couldn't help but admire him. Through the time they had spent together, she noticed how much of a fresh breath of air he was. Both his confidence and his fear was cute to her, but what truly caught her attention was the peace he felt when he saw her. Little did he realize, the spell of the Satyr wafted powerfully through the area and it still did now more so in the background. But when Butch arrived at the scene, the Lady of the Earth was touched by his kindness and love towards nature. The respect and care the trees felt for the young man to the way he carefully plucked every flower from its stem. His large calloused hands and overall big demeanor gave off an intimating presence if she was any mortal woman. However, she knew truly it would be a crime if she actually went through with the cruel plan she teased him with.

Knowing that she would not regret the decision she wished to make, she blew in his face and giggled mischievously. "Open your eyes Butch, it would be a waste to actually turn you into a toad."

Butch's chest almost deflated instantly as he opened his eyes and sighed from relief. "Oh thank the gods. I would have been a real ugly toad too."

She laughed at his comment and reached up to rub his hair, "Yeah, I would have made sure none of the other toads even thought about getting involved with you so that you would be ugly and alone for the rest of your sad, toad life."

He faked a wound and placed his hand on his chest. "My Lady you wound me! That is a fate so cruel that not even I would wish upon anyone else."

Their laugh traveled and danced through the breeze of the forest winds. The whispers of the leaves accompanying them.

"I'm glad you decided to not turn me into a toad, but I know you're not going to just let me go now that I've seen you."

Her smirk returned to her face. "That is true, but now it's just a matter of what to turn you into instead." A twitch from him was her only response. Her answer was a chuckle.

"I'm teasing you, Butch. I'm going to turn you into an animal or a plant, but you won't walk away from this experience as you are now. I won't strip away your humanity through a harsh deal like that pesky Satyr did to your friends. I am giving you the choice instead."

Butch only blinked confused at her. "Wait hold on, what do you mean then by my choice?"

"I can give you two simple options. The first is to wipe your memories of our meeting and then proceed to destroy the spell of the Satyr. However, the repercussions of that happening would be that your memories would be slightly altered and you would go back to your village, clueless on what happened to your missing friends." Butch only clenched his jaw and gave a stoic expression, making it clear that he was not in agreement with that option. "The second option is the one where you join me as my new assistant. Before you provide any objections, I will tell you this now. Do not question my authority."

The young man stayed quiet, the serious look on his face remaining. Nodding his head, he used his eyes to tell her to continue.

"The trees have spoken to me about your nights here in your youth and your job of being a collector. They have told me that not only are you respectful to nature, but you have always been very careful. You may occasionally complain about your duties, but that does not stop you from producing a good job. I saw that today when you picked the lotus flowers in the river."

He looked down nervously with an embarrassed look on his face, pink dusting his cheeks. "No one has ever noticed or even complimented me on my collecting skills...I'm glad the...trees like me." 

Buttercup couldn't help herself but chuckle and place her hands on her hips. "You play the tough guy act but you're actually a real mushball inside huh?"

A growl escaped his lips as he turned his head away. "Shut up-" As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he opened his eyes and looked back to Buttercup in horror. "I- I didn't mean that! I'm so sorry-"

Her contagious laughter filled the air again "Oh my GODS you're such an easy target! Hahaha! If you do end up picking the second option, eternity is gonna be great with you around."

Butch only puffed his cheeks out and tried his best to bite his tongue, incomprehensible grumbling came from his throat instead.

"Well? I assume you don't have all day either. I know about the curfew and other regulations your village has placed into motion. The sun is setting and I'm not the sun deity to stop it from moving."

Thoughts of all kinds raced into his head faster than a war horse. On one hand, he would have to return to town without having the peace of mind of knowing his friends are safe and he would have to erase one of the best days of his life with probably the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. The other hand carries so much uncertainty and mystery, but from what he has seen about the goddess in front of him, she doesn't seem to be too bad.

Yeah, this wasn't even really a difficult choice. Who was he trying to trick anyways?

"Buttercup- I mean, My Lady-"

"No no, I introduced myself to you as Buttercup, so it's only fair for you to call me that." Her teasing and perfect smile graced her face.

 _'You're really not making this any easier for me,'_ He thought to himself as he kept getting..ahem.. _distracted_ by her beauty.

In hoping to hide his further embarrassment and show his decision, the forest under story meets with the canopy once again and he softly takes her hand covered in vines, kneeling down in front of her.

"Oh? So I see you really are a man of action. Alright then, I think I understand that you really want me to erase your-"

"NO! I mean-" He clears his throat. "No. My Lady. I am kneeling to accept your offer at being your assistant and spending eternity with you at your side." 

It was Buttercup's turn to be flustered as she looked away from the sight in front of her.

She grumbled a bit underneath her breath, _'something about me being too cute?'_ , until she turned back to face him.

"Well I guess that's a good enough confession. We're going to have work on your eloquence in the future, but we will have an eternity for that. Won't we Butchie?"

His green eyes behind his dark lashes met hers once again, genuine excitement swirling within him. A smile adorned his face and he spoke.

"Of course, My Goddess. I can't promise I'll be the best student, but I will do my best."

"That's what I like to hear." She held a kind smile that mirrored his own. "Now rise, Butch the mortal, for you are about to be reborn into something great."

The young man stood to his full height, now towering over the shorter woman once again, but not by much. He released his right hand from its grip on hers, but to his surprise, she grabbed the other and slowly brought it to her lips. The suppleness of her lips against his hand sent a shiver down his spine, or perhaps that was the magic as well.

Slowly but surely, Butch could feel himself change. At first, they were not as obvious, like his tiredness and ache going away, but then he noticed he began to carry himself differently. He felt the youth of his childhood rush back into him yet the maturity of a wise man rise within him as well. Any recent injuries or blemishes including bug bites, cuts, or bruises were all erased from his skin as if a roaring waterfall wiped him clean. All of his senses have sharpened, and he could feel and hear the whispers of nature around them. The trees talking to each other through their roots, flowers giving greetings by the help of the wind and other pollinators carrying their messages, and the chattering and skitting of every animal. A sudden burning sensation through his right arm caused him to look down at what was going on. There, he sees a crawling vine marking similar to the real ones on Buttercup's arm in black and dark shades of olive, jade, and juniper green.

"There, it is complete. This emblem along your arm represents not only the promise we have made today, but the proof that you are no longer human. Butch is your human alias and you may continue to use that name should you choose. However, you will now be known as the Earl of the Forest by the rest of the realms." 

The powers of the forest and nature coursed through his veins as he could feel every life breathed into him. His arms clenched and his head was tilted back in the relief and pleasure he hadn't felt in a while. When he tilted his head back, he couldn't help but trace and admire the permanent mark on his arm. Butch- no, the Earl of the Forest smiled at his Lady for his heart felt at peace with the decision he had made.

Buttercup blushed at him and hurriedly rushed over to pick up the basket over flooded by lotus flowers. Flustered and at her wits end, she carefully but aggressively shoved them into his arms. "We have a lot of work to do, Earl. Now go say your goodbyes."

Instincts caught the basket just in time as he nodded with a sly smirk. "As you wish my goddess." He began to make his way towards the tree line but paused and turned around to face her once again. "There is something I'd like to make clear."

"And what would that be?" The nature goddess answered as she tries to compose herself.

"Butch. I introduced myself with that name and I still want you to call me that. That okay with you, my Lady?"

For once, she gave him a curious look. One that he could not understand at all during their exchange. Although not understanding it very well, he could feel that she felt somewhat...relieved. A small smile crept on her face as her head nodded at him, confirming this.

"Yes, that's okay Butch. Any last questions before you go?"

He pondered for a little while. He did have an eternity to spend with her...so if any other questions were brought up, they had all the time in the world to discuss. However, one question kept appearing in his mind.

"They'll be alright...right?"

She sighed and nodded her head. "If you're referring to your nature friends, they will be fine. A little upset, but they will be alright." She pauses for a moment, but continues with a smirk on her face, "You will see them again. IF you're able to keep this job long enough."

Butch only smirked back at her and winked in return. "I'll do my best my Lady, thank you." 

He turns back to the familiar path to continue ahead, but a strong breeze caught him off guard. When he turned back around to ask Buttercup about it, she was gone.

The Earl of the Forest sighed and smiled wistfully as he turned to face the forest once again. His heart and feet knew that this would be the last time he would walk down the paths he has been taking since he was a child and allowed himself to fall at a slower pace. He could have never expected how today or even the rest of his life could have looked like. However, now that he had been given such an important duty? Butch didn't mind following the nature goddess to eternity anymore.


End file.
